Page:England & Russia in Central Asia,Vol-I.djvu/114

94 ENGLAND AND RUSSIA IN CENTRAL ASIA. take place between Russia and China, or indeed at any time so long as China's hold on Chuguchak, Manas, and the cities of Eastern Turkestan remains firm, it would be out of the question to think of weakening the garrison of the vast district of Semiretchinsk by a single man. Under certain contingencies it might become even necessary to increase its garrison, either from Ferghana, or from Siberia, or from Europe. To some extent this has lately been done. Therefore as an offensive force it is unavailable. The frontier it has to defend is naturally a very strong one, being a mountain range of which it may be said to command the whole depth. The one weak point is on the due east, where it might be exposed to attack from several quarters if the enemy were of a sufficiently determined character and in strong force. The Semiretchinsk army is held to be as efficient as any other branch of either the Russian or the Central Asian armies ; and its commander-in-chief, G-eneral Kolpakoffsky, is one of the most distinguished officers in the army. Mr. Schuyler gives a graphic description of this officer and of his work. He appears to be the most practical of all the Russian governors, not ex- cepting Abramoff. He is thoroughly acquainted with the people over whom he rules ; and for almost thirty years he has been intimately connected with Central Asiatics. He possesses an excellent constitution, and his energy is so unwearied that he has obtained the name of " the Iron Seat " from the Kirghiz, themselves some of the hardest riders in the world. There have never been any insinuations against the moral clia-